Cannabis derived products, including cannabidiols (CBD), have been becoming more popular for humans – and it might not be any different for dogs. Researchers now have used multi-year data reported by dog owners who did or did not feed their dogs CBD supplements and showed that dogs who received CBD had distinct demographics: they were older and more likely to have health issues. The findings also showed that over time, dogs who received CBD supplements showed less aggressive tendencies. This behavioral change may be an important therapeutic finding for both dog welfare and human safety, the team said.

In humans, CBD is thought to have therapeutic effects for some conditions including chronic pain, nausea, or inflammation. Now, dogs may be reaping some of the benefits, too, according to a new study. Researchers in the US have used data from the Dog Aging Project to characterize demographics, health status, and behavior of dogs that used CBD or hemp supplements. They published their results in Frontiers in Veterinary Science.

“Behaviorally, dogs given CBD products for multiple years are initially more aggressive compared to dogs not receiving those products, but their aggression becomes less intense over time,” said senior author Dr Maxwell Leung, an assistant professor and the director of Cannabis Analytics, Safety and Health Initiative at Arizona State University.

“This long-term behavioral change highlights the potential of CBD as a therapy for canine behavioral issues,” added co-author Dr Julia Albright, an associate professor at the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Tennessee.

Older, ailed, and male

The study is the largest to examine CBD use of companion animals in the US to date. The data comes from the Dog Aging Project, a community science project where dog owners report on their pets’ diets, lifestyles, health, and environment over multiple years. Data from 47,355 dogs was used. Between 2019 and 2023, owners completed annual surveys concerning health and life experiences of their pets.

The owners also reported how often they gave their dogs CBD or hemp supplements. Frequent use meant a daily supplement, infrequent use meant a supplement given less often than once a day. If dogs had never been given CBD supplements, owners could report no use.

The team found several links between dog demographics and CBD use. “In our sample, 7.3% of the companion dogs in the US have been given CBD and hemp products,” said Leung. 2,759 of those dogs (5.8%) were frequently given supplements. These dogs were on average three years older than those who didn’t receive them. Some health conditions were especially associated with CBD use. The highest prevalence was found among dogs with dementia (18.2%), followed by dogs with osteoarthritis joint problems (12.5%), and those with cancer (10%).

Dogs receiving the supplement were also more likely to live in states where medical cannabis is legalized for humans. This could indicate the influence of the bond between humans and their pets on owners’ decision making about CBD use. Male dogs were more likely to be given CBD supplements; a 9% increase compared to female dogs. Dogs’ physical activity level did not differ between those who received CBD and those who didn’t.

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Docile dogs

The team also found that CBD use resulted in behavioral change. After prolonged use, dogs that received supplements were reported to have below-average aggression levels, compared to dogs with no CBD use, which could point to a direct effect. For other behaviors, including agitation or anxiety, no similar effect was observed. “Most canine aggression is related to underlying stress or anxiety – a fight or flight response that kicks in. It is unclear why only aggression but not other types of anxious or agitated behaviors seemed to be improved with CBD treatment,” Albright said.

In the current study, the team did not look into the mechanism of behavioral changes, and further studies are needed to confirm the calming effects of CBD products, they said. The data used may also have been subjected to owners’ bias, and no information on dosage, formulations, administration routes, and product sources was collected. “At this point, we do not have a complete picture about the behavioral treatment plan,” Albright pointed out.

For owners who might consider giving their dogs CBD supplements, choosing a reputable brand is critical, the team said. They should also be mindful of the dosage, as CBD products can have adverse effects, including gastrointestinal issues and diarrhea.

The team said the study serves as a starting point to better understand how CBD products can help alleviate behavioral and health issues that affect aging populations, companion animals and humans alike. “There are many similarities in how CBD can benefit dogs and humans medically,” Leung concluded.

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